Religion, features and articles | Educational Science

Mar 11, 2019

Who Was the Real King Herod?

King Herod, sometimes called Herod the Great (circa 74 to 4 B.C.) was a king of Judea who ruled the territory with Roman approval. While Judea was an independent kingdom it was under heavy Roman influence and Herod came to power with Roman support. The Bible depicts Herod as a...

Mar 27, 2019

7 Biblical Sites Ravaged by Modern-Day Looters

Biblical ruins (Image credit: Scott Peterson/Getty Images)Biblical sites draw interest from many people: archaeologists, historians, priests, rabbis, imams and many members of the general public. Sadly, these historical ruins from the time of Jesus also often attract looters, people who illegally excavate a site, often in hopes of selling what...

Mar 29, 2019

Judas Iscariot: The Mysterious Disciple Who Betrayed Jesus with a Kiss

Judas Iscariot is famous for being a disciple of Jesus who betrayed him in exchange for money. Of the 12 disciples of Jesus, only Peter gets more lines of coverage from the Gospel writers than does Judas, wrote William Klassen in his book Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? (Fortress...

Apr 15, 2019

Was King David Truly a Powerful King?

In the Hebrew Bible, King David is famous for slaying the Philistine giant Goliath and expanding Israel into a large kingdom centered in Jerusalem. However, archaeological evidence for King David is limited, and there is an ongoing debate among archaeologists and other scholars about the size of David's kingdom and...

Apr 16, 2019

'Holy Stairs' Opened for 1st Time in Nearly 300 Years. But Did Jesus Really Climb Them?

Over the past week, several news outlets have reported that the Holy Stairs — said to have been climbed by Jesus on his way to face trial — have been restored and reopened in Rome. Yes, the stairs are restored, the wooden casing covering them has been removed for the...

Apr 21, 2019

8 Archaeological Sites That Jesus May have Visited

Jesus travels (Image credit: Shutterstock)The Gospels claim that Jesus visited numerous sites across modern-day Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon. But how can we tell which accounts are real versus legend? To find out, archaeologists have excavated areas at various religious sites. Their discoveries provide valuable information about what these sites...

Jun 28, 2019

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Baptismal Font Hidden Inside Jesus' Traditional Birthplace

The Church of the Nativity — a World Heritage site believed to house the birthplace of Jesus in the West Bank city of Bethlehem — is apparently so holy that there are baptismal fonts coming out of the baptismal fonts. In a news conference earlier this week, Ziad al-Bandak, head...

Aug 1, 2019

In Photos: Biblical 'Church of the Apostles' Discovered

Along the Sea of Galilee (Image credit: Zachary Wong)Archaeologists from Israel and the United States now believe they have located the site of the Jewish fishing village of Bethsaida at Beit Habek, also called El Araj, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. The excavations have...

Aug 2, 2019

Who was Jesus Christ?

Jesus was the Messiah (Christ), the Son of God who was crucified for the sins of humanity before rising from the dead, according to Christian Gospels and early Christian writings. According to the Gospels, Jesus, who was born around 4 B.C., was able to perform supernatural feats such as healing...

Aug 20, 2019

'Terminator' Android Preaches Buddhist Wisdom at Ancient Japanese Temple

A robot is preaching Buddhist wisdom to worshippers at a temple in Japan — but some visitors think it looks like Frankenstein's monster. The humanoid robot, or android, started reciting Buddhist writings to worshippers at the 400-year-old Kodai-ji temple in Kyoto earlier this year. It combines a robotic body of...

Sep 16, 2019

Long-Sought Village Jesus Visited After Crucifixion Possibly Found

Archaeologists may have discovered the village where Jesus is said to have appeared after he was crucified. According to the Gospel of Luke, after Jesus was crucified, two of his disciples walked to the village of Emmaus; along their walk to the village, a stranger walked beside them and asked...

Sep 19, 2019

Ancient Mosaic Found in 'Burnt Church' May Depict Miracle Described in the New Testament

A colorful fifth-century mosaic that depicts one of Jesus' most famous miracles has been unearthed in Israel, perfectly preserved beneath the ashes from an ancient fire. The mosaic, which likely shows Jesus feeding the masses with loaves and fishes, once adorned the floors of a church built in the late...

Oct 30, 2019

Root of Humanity's Belief in Evil Possibly Found

Where did the spiritual concept of evil originate? One possible explanation might be people's attempts to understand and cope with infectious diseases. Linking diseases and their symptoms to mysterious evil forces is a practice that emerged in traditional belief systems prior to the mid-19th century, when germ theory was introduced,...

Oct 31, 2019

Jesus Painting Bound for the Dump Is Lost Renaissance Masterpiece Worth $27 Million

A small panel painting of Jesus hung over the hot plate in an elderly French woman's home for longer than she could remember. When the woman moved out in September, the painting was due to go to the dump (along with many of her other possessions), unless a local auctioneer...

Nov 7, 2019

The Catholic Church Made You 'Weird.' That's Not a Bad Thing.

People in the West are psychologically unlike the rest of the world. Global studies find that Western Europeans and their descendents tend to be more individualistic, less conformist, and more trusting of strangers. But why? New research posits that the medieval Catholic Church, and its emphasis on monogamous marriage and...